Leonardo Helicopters has resumed flight testing with AW09 following an issue with a nonconforming part in the type’s main gearbox.
The problem was with the heat treatment of a gear component that was provided by a supplier the manufacturer hadn’t worked with before, said Matteo Ragazzi, Leonardo Helicopters’ director of engineering.
The aircraft is one of two being flown on the flight test program (along with PS4). However, the manufacturer said it adapted the order of some tests to ensure the issue didn’t force a change in its certification timeline.
“We had to swap [flight test] activities — so some tests that were supposed to happen [first], we basically had to start discussing with EASA [moving them behind] a number of reports and activities that were supposed to happen after,” said Ragazzi.
While the aircraft was undergoing adaption work, the program team conducted critical ground tests, including icing trials, bird strike tests, and fatigue tests for the main and tail rotor blades.
Leonardo has also devoted additional resources — including crews and mechanics — to ensure the flight test team has everything they need to move through the rest of the certification program.
The manufacturer has over 123 orders for the light single-engine helicopter. Despite the setback with the nonconforming part, Leonardo is still aiming for certification by the end of this year, with deliveries to begin soon after.
This is the second time an issue with a main gearbox component has caused a delay in tests with the AW09. In 2018, issues with a cast part — the main gearbox’s upper housing — led to a six-month delay in the program.
